I've read that crinums will flourish in central Texas. Trouble is they are hard to find and expensive. Anyone know of a good source for them? Also: any advice for specific varieties that will do well?
Kendalia
Crinums
I bought mine on E-bay, from a vendor called "bulbsnmore". The owner's name is Nestor White, and he seems to be quite well respected in the crinum world.
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/bulbsnmore_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ
Around here, I've heard people call it a ditch lily because that's where it is seen in great quantities. The color of the blooms range from pure white to pale striped pink. It is not the most beautiful Crinum, but you probably get some free for the asking.
Crinum bulbispermum:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/150803/
I've also seen Swamp lilies closer to the coast:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1295/
I bought a few really nice bulbs from a DGer named gordo. She sells through the MarketPlace and as Impower56 through eBay. The bulbs were nice and large and reasonably priced.
Thanks, DFWDennis and Bettydee, for the info.
Kendalia
Talk to Debbie at Solas Gardens. http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/5766/
She posts here in this forum frequently and is excellent to deal with. Great service and great products.
Don't know if you can access is if you aren't a subscriber, but the Dallas Morning News had this article on crinums on May 29, 2007 -
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/home/stories/DN-NHG_crinums_0330liv.ART0.State.Edition1.167a51.html
Thanks Steph and Irwells. The links in the newsarticle go to good suppliers, but they are also very expensive. I can't see paying 20 or 30 dollars for a single bulb!
Kendalia
Kendalia, you can find them a lot cheaper than that. I have some of the pink ones. The first one I bought was from a local garden club bulb mart and it was 50 bucks. I about choked, but got one. I later bought more of the same one on Ebay for $9.00 each. The swamp lily (white spidery looking bloom) is harder to find than the pink ones or maroon and white striped one, which is sometimes called milk and wine lily. Don't pay those elevated prices, I'm sure if you google, you can find some cheaper. I wish I'd checked before shelling out 50 for that one!
If you're going to one of the RU's, maybe someone has some for trade?
Crow
Crow, I am with you. No way I'm going to put out $20 for a bulb. I do watch Ebay. I got what I think are swamp lily (from the pic show) bulbs there for a very low price. Cheapest I've seen other crinum bulbs from vendors is BrentandBeckysBulbs. I may go to a plant swap on March 21 in San Antonio. I'll see if anyone has some. BTW: how is your $50 bulb doing? Did you plant it on an altar? (grin) I hope it has at least given you lots of offshoots.
Kendalia
Well, my 50 dollar one has done about the same as the 9 dollar one! I laughed and told my DH when I came home with that first one that if it died, we were going to have to go into mourning and have a funeral for it! Bless his heart, he didn't even get upset once I told him what the thing cost. I like it, but it certainly wasn't worth 50 dollars.
Where is Kendalia?
Crow
Kendalia is about 40 miles north of San Antonio. I live on the Guadalupe. (My DW would NOT be happy if I paid $50 for a bulb. . . )
Crow, keep an eye out in the DG Marketplace. You can find some really good deals through that. I got my Schoolhouse Lillies from Debbie (of Solas Gardens) on sale through the DG Marketplace last summer.
Stephanie
If you contacted Wayne at cherokeehillslilyfarm.com I think he would sell you some for a good price. He also has nice large day lilies at good prices. Check it out. He does not have crinums listed but know he has/had some.
D
I bought my swamp lily (crinum americanum) from bulbsmore for $9. It was a "medium" bulb. You can also pay $15 for a "blooming" bulb.
Dennis
Kendalia,
DMJ just posted some Crinum in Marketplace. I like her products, good choices of plants and reasonable prices.
Thanks, Dennis and Dale. I have some crinum americanum (got 'em for cheap). I, too, like Solas Garden products. I've bought some rainlilies from them, and they were great (my rabbits think they are yummy). Maybe Deb will post more varieties.
Kendalia,
Grasshoppers (or leafhoppers) love rain lilies too.
Dale, that is a cruel truth. But the bunnies seem to be eating faster right now. Need to set out an electric fence for a while. . .
Each fall the Master Gardener's here in Tyler have a bulb sale. I bought my crinums several years ago at that sale. They were not exensive. Check and see if maybe there are similar sales near you.I don't know when the local one is scheduled but it is worth attending. They sell only bulbs that do well in this particular region. It might be worth your time to come up this fall.
Thanks for the suggestion, Gabriell.
I just spent 5.99 for a crium bulb today, it was the striped one it had no variety tag but showed a pic. I got it at a local nursery.. I didnt think it was that expensive after seeing some of the prices you all were talking about.. I just wish I could have gottten more but I know this one will multiply with time...
If you can't find the varities you want, brent and becky;s has some, a client bought 4 varities about 5 years ago and they are stunning, all were $9 or less, but you do have shipping on top of that. My cataloge is on loan so these are last years prices. Thanks on the heads up on the other sellers, i am sure going to check them out, maybe cheaper and probably other varities i have never heard of :).
Yes, so far BrentandBeckysBulbs is the least expensive I found. Bkraven got lucky, I think, depending on the variety he got for $6.
Bkraven got lucky, I think, depending on the variety he got for $6.
hey!!! last time I checked I was a woman!!!...lmao.. dont worry lots of people make that mistake from my screen name.. someone I met said she thought Id have long black hair.. I do have the long hair only its auburn...lol...
I wen back and looked at the label dosent have a varity name on it but shows the red and white striped kind.. now which of the red and white I dont know..lol.Ill just have to wait till it blooms and then find out.. now if it would only warm up I could plant it!. I can take the overcast grey skies but not the damp cold...
this is me....
Yikes! Sorry about the pronoun. The picture makes it clear! BTW: nice motorcycle!
I just googled 'Wells'. Too bad it is so far away, or I'd go visit your local nursery.
thank you!!yeah that was my first baby.. it was totaled at the same time I almost was..but I was to stubborn to die on them. my current bike is Purple!!!
now when you googled Wells did you get the correct one..Tx has 2 cities with the name Wells..Im in Cherokee county
Purple! Isn't that illegal?
speaking of crinums....I would have thought it a bit early, but I guess they know when is best. This was seed raised, 3 years old now, seed from my friend Marcelle. It may be confused and hard to tell what it will look like until it opens, but rain will do amazing things for bulbs....nothing like it, nitrogen fixing in mid-air and low barometric pressure--best fertilizer on the planet (and literally produced by the planet) for bulbs. crinums and rain lilies are espiecially responsive to rain, although my species glads are also sending up scapes too.
Kendalia-
Check Calloways, if you have a Calloways in your area. I got some for 5.99, too.
They are gigantic.
This was several weeks ago, or I might have been able to pick up some up for you. They were going fast.
thats the same Tag/company as mine.. I can tell from the pic but mine just said red andwhite striped on it..
This message was edited Mar 16, 2009 10:49 AM
Wow, Calloways is usually expensive. I'll have to check.
Deb, that's impressive--seed to flower in 3 years.
Seems that the Solas Gardens website is no longer working. Anyone know what happened to them?
dmail me if you are interested in something--I'm changing web hosting companies
My crinums are blooming and have been for a couple of weeks now. They actually set buds before our rains finally came. I don't have any of the red striped ones. Mine that are blooming are the pale pink ones. My newer swamp lilys haven't taken off yet, but I can hardly wait for them to bloom.
If you're coming to the East Texas Roundup, I'll bring you one.....Light Pink with Darker Pink Stripe.
"eyes"
No 50 dollar ones, but close.
http://www.yuccado.com/displayengine
IMy wife purchased this one at Peckerwood Gardens last weekend. It is worth going to even if you don't purchase any Crinums.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/65313/
http://www.peckerwoodgarden.com/explore/visit.htm
Peckerwood has a plant sale the same day as CSRU & it isn't far fr there!
The outside salesman that I worked w/at the Farm, where I used to work, cleaned out one of his beds. He brought all of us girls a big garbage bag of crinums. Someone didn't want their bag so I got 2 bags.
Went to the Hou Garden Clubs sale & they had the same crinums for $45 EACH! They were Ellen Bosanquet!!!!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/77859/
:~)
Millic, thanks for the tip about peckerwood gardens sale. It is too far for me, but I'd love to go. Smockette, you got really lucky. I'm green.
You can find a wide selection of potted, growing crinium varieties at Barton Springs Nursery in Austin, TX: They also carry unpotted crinium bulbs and the often hard-to-find hurricane or blood lilies.